LILIANNA'S POV
Setting the table I look at the clock on my oven and notice it's already ten minutes past six. Dinner will be ready soon and Seven isn't even here yet. But I stop myself from letting the worry slip under my skin.
It's only been ten minutes Lily, I remind myself. Ten minutes of traffic, ten minutes of losing track of time. Ten minutes of an inconvenience, ten minutes is nothing. Calm down. I plate our food and put it into the oven on a warming setting so it will be readily hot on his arrival. I'm a little antsy waiting for Seven to show up and begin to exhaust myself with distractions from watching the clock. I've set the table, condiments and all. Cleaned, dried and put away all the dishes I used to make dinner. I've even brushed my teeth, hair and clipped my nails to try distract me from the time ticking by. When the time turns to seven o'clock I turn the oven off as the food is now drying out rather than warming.
I won't lie, the slight worry has grown and is beginning to morph into a low burning anger. If he's going to be late he could at least have the decency to tell me. I check my phone for the hundredth time and still there is no contact from him. With a reluctant groan I give in and dial his number, if he won't call me to tell me why he's late then I will call him and demand to know. His phone rings for what seems like forever until the robotic voice recording of the answering machine plays so I hang up. He's never not answered me before, and I feel my annoyance grow.
Instead I call the next best thing.
"Hey girl!" Mesha picks up on the third ring. At least she's not ignoring my calls.
"Hey." My voice is dripping in disappointment.
"You okay?" Mesha picks up on it right away.
"I think I just got stood up." I admit.
"Stood up? By who? Seven?" She asks in disbelief.
"Mm. Can I come over? I made dinner if you want it?" I ask her picking at my nails.
"Yeah of course. Defo bring food too." Mesha agrees. I'm glad I met her. She's always there for me even at the most random of times.
A few minutes later after getting off the phone with Mesha I pack our dinners into some Tupperware containers and pull a bottle of Riesling I had chilling in the fridge that I had intended to serve with dinner for Seven and I. I drive to Mesha's, and attempt to call Seven again but he still doesn't answer. When I pull up outside Mesha's place she's waiting outside for me, dragging on a cigarette.
"I didn't know you smoked." I nod at the smoke billowing from her mouth with my hands full of food and wine.
"I lost my vape." Mesha coughs and grimaces at the strong taste of tobacco in her mouth before tossing the cigarette into the gutter.
"It's just not the same." She shakes her head at the smouldering butt.
"Also why the fuck have I been driving us around when your whip looks like that?" She asks me.
"Oh, I only got it a few weeks ago." I forget she hadn't seen it yet. Since, like she said, she has been driving us around most of the time.
"What happened to the old shitter?" Mesha asks as we walk up to her apartment.
"Seven got rid of it and gave me that as it's replacement. He said my old car wasn't safe enough." I roll my eyes. Or fast enough to outrun dangerous situations but I don't say that to Mesha.
"Jesus, I wish one of my sugar daddies got me a new car." She replies.
"He's not my sugar daddy!" I laugh.
"Maybe not. But I'd still call him daddy." Mesha jokes and I shake my head but smile at her.
Mesha eats the dinner I made with me and even trash talks Seven a little for standing me up, despite her previous comments about calling him daddy.
"What time is it?" I ask Mesha as she refills my glass of wine. I won't have anymore, I still need to drive home.
"Just after eight." She answers and refills her own glass as I check my phone.
Nothing.
"Seriously?! He still hasn't said anything. What do I even do?" I run a stressed hand over my face.
"Call him?" She suggests.
"I have. Three times already and it goes to answer machine every time." I want to throw my phone across the room but I know that won't solve anything.
"Have you left a message?" She asks and I shake my head.
"No. I don't think he'd even check his voicemails to be honest. Plus I don't know what I would say." I hate leaving voice messages, I tend to avoid leaving them at any cost. But what I say is true, I highly doubt Seven goes through his voicemails, I'm not just trying to get out of having to actually leaving one.
"Did he say where he was going when he dropped you home? Maybe he's at work?" Mesha shrugs and I shake my head.
"He didn't say where he was going. But he had been acting pretty weird all day before he dropped me home. He wouldn't tell me where he was going and what he had to do though." Saying it out loud makes me nervous. Maybe Seven isn't just standing me up and ignoring me on purpose. What if something is actually wrong with him?
"You don't think he's like, in any trouble do you?" Mesha asks the same question I'm asking myself. When I meet her eyes we both stand up at the same time.
"W-What if he is? He's never late when we've organised a time to meet up. I mean, I mean he's not answering my calls and he always answers. He literally always answers Mesh." I begin to pace as panic begins to build.
"No, calm down Lil. We'll figure out what to do." Mesha tries to comfort me but she too is also pacing. Oh god. My mind begins to think over the many possible worse case scenarios.
"What if he's hurt Mesha? What if someone is hurting him right now and I've just been sitting here talking shit on him? Oh my god." The thought makes me sick.
"No don't think like that. I'm sure he's fine Lily. We just need to think about this and figure out where he might be." Mesha tries to figure out a plan as I continue to anxiously pace her living room.
If Seven is hurt I don't know what I'll do. I don't even know where the fuck he is.
"Do you have any idea where he might be?" Mesha tries and moves to the kitchen to grab her phone.
"No! I have no idea at all!" Stressed tears begin to well in my eyes and I wipe them away, willing myself not to freak out.
"Okay. Well I'll call Curby maybe he might know where Seven is?" She suggests as she scrolls through her phone.
"You have Curby's number?" I ask slightly surprised by this. I mean I guess she would given she is an escort for them and I know Curby has done a few check ins with Mesha.
"Uh, yeah." Mesha's eyes flick up from her phone but she doesn't meet my eyes. I would usually question her awkward behaviour but given the situation I'm a little more focused on finding out the whereabouts and status of Seven.
Mesha holds the phone to her ear but pulls it away just as quickly.
"Right to voicemail. It didn't even ring." She frowns at her phone and my heart rate picks up. Shit. This doesn't seem good.
"W-What do we do? What do I do Mesha? Oh my god." I can't help my brain going to worse case scenario and it's freaking me out.
"I don't know Lily. Maybe we try looking for them?" Mesha sounds a little more panicked than before now.
"Them?"
"Seven, I mean. Look for Seven." She looks down at the ground and then she's back onto her phone.
"Do you know where Seven lives?" Mesha asks and I nod.
"Yeah I've been there but I don't know if I'd be able to get in. There's codes on the gate and door." I admit.
"We could try jump the fence? Just to see if his car is there?" She suggests and I nod.
"Y-Yeah okay. We could do that." I nod and grab my cardigan off the couch.
"We can take my car." I suggest.
"It's fast." I conclude and grab my keys from the dinner table as Mesha follows me out of her apartment.
Even though it's useless both Mesha and I continue to try call both Seven and Curby despite them both going to voicemail every time. I try my best to remember the drive to Seven's large house. I take a few wrong turns but eventually we pull up to the tall white gates of his home.
"Fucking hell, how rich is he?" Mesha comments under her breath as I park at his front gate. It's closed and doesn't open when I pull up.
"Should I try the buzzer?" I ask Mesha and she shrugs.
"May as well?"
I press the buzzer on the gate and we listen out for any answer on the other end.
Nothing.
"Let's try look over the gate. If his cars there we'll go inside." Mesha begins walking up to the gate.
"And if his car isn't here?" I ask her following her up to the large gate.
"Then what?" I push when she doesn't answer right away. Mesha sighs and turns to me.
"Then I have no idea." She admits, when she notices my worried expression she pulls me into her arms.
"It's okay Lily. We'll find him." Mesha consoles me before turning back to the gate to figure a way onto it. It's fucking high, and I wouldn't know a way to get up there without a ladder. But to my surprise Mesha balances her foot against a lower beam of the gate and springs herself grabbing the middle beam to hold her up. Immediately I move to stand underneath her, ready to catch her or help push her up further.
"I need a boost." Mesha grunts as she struggles to pull herself up all the way.
"I got you." I push at her backside and help shove her upwards so she can make the leap up for the top beam. She makes it and looks over the gate.
"Fucking hell babe his place is huge." Mesha comments.
"I know. But is his car there? It's usually in the parking bay right in front of the house." I tell her and she shakes her head down at me.
"There's no one there hun, the house is pitch black." Mesha concludes before jumping back down. Her findings have the small bubble of hope I had been clinging onto bursting.
"We could try your place again? Maybe he's turned up there?" Mesha suggests and I nod. I hope, god do I hope that he's there and that he was just late and his phone died. Please, please be there Seven. I pray silently the entire drive back across town to my apartment while Mesha continues to try call Curby to no avail.
When I pull up to my apartment building I scan the street for Seven's car but I can't pick it out from the vehicles lining the street.
"I don't think he's here." I mutter to Mesha as we cross the street into the building. I want to cry, but I force myself not to spiral. I have a sick feeling that something is wrong with him and I can't shake it. He should have been here at six and now it's just about to turn ten, he isn't answering his phone and neither is Curby who is usually always right by Seven's side. The facts aren't stacked for a happy conclusion.
As we approach my door I send Seven another text, watching as the speech bubble turns green and joins the long list of previous texts that have gone unanswered tonight. I feel Mesha's hand grab my arm urgently and I look up at her from my phone confused by the panicked look spread across her face. My eyes follow hers to my door and we both stop walking.
Standing in front of my apartment door is a bald, large man. His all black suit gives away his association and when he turns around to look at both Mesha and I stopped in the hall, I instantly recognise him. The large, menacing scar down his face is unmistakeable and I remember him from the club.
"We should run." Mesha whispers but something in me doesn't want to run from this man. I know he probably gives Mesha the shits with how terrifying his scar makes him look but my interactions with him have always been pleasant. I remember him walking me to my car after a shift once and the way I was first scared of him but quickly felt safe.
"Lily." Mesha warns me when I don't move. The man takes a step forward towards us and as Mesha tries to pull me back with her I shake my arm free and instead walk toward to meet the man. It's probably a dumb idea, he may be here to hurt me but I know damn well he knows where Seven is and I need to find out what the fuck is going on and if he is okay.
"Lilianna." The man speaks as I stop to stand in front of him. To my surprise, Mesha waits no less than a foot behind me, despite her being clearly intimidated by the situation.
"Who the fuck are you?" She surprises me by her demanding question. The man too is a little taken back by Mesha's boldness but I'm thankful for her.
"My name is Grim. Look we don't have much time before others will be here." He speaks.
"Where is Seven?" I ask right away, not caring about anything else he has to say.
"Victor has him. But you need to go, you can't be here right now. Victor sent me here to bring you to him." Grim explains and Mesha grabs onto my arm.
"You're not taking her fucking anywhere, boney tail." Mesha mocks his bald head and I'm surprised by the grunt of a chuckle from Grim.
"No, I know that. I'm not going to actually take you to him." Grim raises his hands up in a defence.
"Why wouldn't you? You work for Victor." I lower my eyes at him suspiciously.
"Because I care about Seven and he clearly cares for you. Look we don't have much time, there are men already outside who came with me." He says.
"Why does Victor want me?" I question him.
"I'm not sure, but I assume it's because of your relationship with Seven." Grim looks to the floor for a second and then back up. What? He knows about Seven and I? Does that mean Victor knows? Oh my god.
Oh shit.
My first instinct is to deny it but Grim continues to speak.
"You need to stay away from your apartment for a little bit. Just till he gives up on whatever he has planned for you." Grim says and I look to Mesha.
"Of course." She nods without me even needing to ask to stay with her.
"Well then what do I do? You said there were men outside." I ask Grim. How has this become my life?
"Do either of you own a weapon?" He asks and I shake my head. A weapon? Does he know who he's talking to here? Of course we don't have any weapons.
"No of course not." I answer.
"I have pepper spray and a knife on my key ring?" Mesha offers and I look over at her surprised.
"Perfect. They'll do perfectly." He nods.
"Is your car close by?" Grim then asks.
"Yes, it's parked just over the road." I tell him. What the hell is he planning?
"Okay, I will walk you both out. You need to act like I grabbed you both here inside, I will pretend to bring you both back to the car that is waiting with the others but as soon as we get down the steps spray me with the pepper spray and stab my leg. Then you both need to run. And I mean fucking run, do you hear me? You need to get into your car and drive." Grim says. I don't like this, I don't like this plan at all.
"Like actually stab you?" Mesha asks shocked and Grim nods.
"Yes, it needs to be real. No one would believe you managed to get away otherwise." Grim says.
"Okay." Mesha nods. And glances around like she's thinking through every detail of this roughly thought out plan.
"Why are you helping us?" I question Grim. It's not that I don't trust him, I'm not getting any negative intuitive feelings about the man but I just don't understand why he would help me. He doesn't know me, he doesn't owe me anything.
"Because, like I said I care about Seven. I have been apart of this gang long before he was born and we had a way of doing things back then." His words are rushed as he continues to look behind us to make sure we're still alone.
"We took care of the innocents of our society, and served our justices to those that deserved them. Although Victor may be forgetful of those days and how Ivan ran things, I am not. And neither is Seven." Grim explains.
Ivan?
Is that Seven's father?
"Do you know where Curby is?" Mesha asks him. And again I'm a little surprised at how worried Mesha seems to be for Curby but then again she did get along with him, much better than she did with Seven anyway.
"He is also with Victor. I don't know what he has planned for them but I just need to keep you out of his reach." Grim says looking directly at me.
"So come on." Grim grabs both mine and Mesha's arms firmly and begins walking us to the building entrance.
"You got that pepper spray ready?" He asks Mesha and she nods as her hand disappears into her back pocket.
"Don't forget, right in the leg. So I can't run after you." He reminds her and my heart is beating fast. This is all so rushed and I haven't been able to process any of it. What if this doesn't work? What if the other men waiting catch us, or worse they don't believe our little act of self defence.
I don't even get the time to try think properly about this before Grim is marching Mesha and I down the stairs. His grip is rough as he pulls us along and for a second I think he might not actually let us go. As soon as we hit the pavement, Mesha's hand flies up and I close my eyes and hold my breath hearing the sound of the spray targeting Grim's face. His hand releases it's hold on us both to move to his face. I hear him splutter and begin to take a few steps away, looking back I watch Mesha drive a small blade into the side of Grim's thigh. He falls to his knees instantly and Mesha begins to run.
"Lily!" She screams at me and my weighted feet. It takes me a second to remember how to move, briefly paralysed from the shock of what is actually happening right now.
"Run!" Mesha instructs already a few paces ahead and when I see a group of men get out a large car down the street heading in our direction my body jumps into gear. I run towards the car fumbling with my key but managing to press the automatic start button on it. Thank god I no longer have my old fiesta or we'd have no chance.
Mesha reaches the car before me and jumps into the drivers side, I can hear the men yelling behind me and when a loud bang sounds behind me I push myself to run faster.
Holy fuck.
Was that? Was that a fucking gun?!
I don't allow myself to look back as I round the car and jump into the passenger side. Before I'm able to even close my door Mesha speeds off as another loud shot is aimed at us.
"What the fuck! What the actual fuck Lily! They're shooting at us!" Mesha panics.
"Drive! Just drive!" I yell even though she is already doing just that.
"Where! Where do I go? Will they follow us? Oh my god." Mesha grips the steering wheel and constantly checks the view finder to make sure.
"Just drive around till it's safe enough to go back to your place." I tell her as I struggle to pull air into my lungs. I don't know if I'm puffed from sprinting or if I'm about to have a panic attack.
I can feel my heart thudding violently in my chest, the beat pulsing in my ears. My focus sets on my breathing as I attempt to try calm myself down. In through my nose, out through my mouth I repeat while forcing myself to slow my breath. It doesn't seem to work though, since no matter how much oxygen is taken into my lungs it doesn't seem like enough. My palms sweat and I get the overwhelming feeling that I might black out.
"Lily?" Mesha sounds concerned but I can barely register her words as my hands reach out to the dash to hold myself upright. My entire body feels as though it's in a sweat so I attempt to open the window.
"Air." The word croaks from my mouth weakly. The beating in my ears gets louder and my breath gets shallower till the point my chest begins to ache.
Am I dying? This feels like dying. I need air but I keep choking on it.
"Lily!" Mesha calls once again. But her voice sounds so far away. I can't breathe, holy fuck I can't breathe!
"I can't ... I can't ..." I try tell Mesha but I can't even get the words out. My vision blurs and I can't hold onto reality much longer.
"Lily!" Mesha yells as my body gives in and I fade into the blackness.
—————————————————————